The present invention relates to protein-denatured wheat gluten products, being more particularly concerned with products of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,717 and 6,001,412 or the like, and more specifically to the aftertaste and other problems involved in flavoring such products during their manufacture and subsequent shelf-life.
The above-mentioned patents of the applicants describe a novel technique for producing vital wheat gluten protein-denatured fiber products capable of providing a high protein, healthful, fat-free analog of meat and poultry and the like. These products may be so manufactured that they closely simulate the mouth feel, taste sensation, appearance and, where desired, taste of actual meat products and the like, though providing a much more healthful, fat-free product which can, for example, also include all the amino acids and protein contained in meat itself, but with none of the deleterious effects of fat, uretic and other acids or the like.
Very successful products of this nature have been produced and taste-tested for those who do not eat meat products and for meat eaters who desire a healthy substitute without compromising taste and recipes.
These novel protein-denatured layered fiber wheat gluten products are neutral in taste unless flavored or spiced. The addition of flavoring and spices and the like furthermore makes these products extremely versatile and adaptable to satisfy the different culture tastes around the world, serving as a new basic food susceptible of a myriad of flavorings acceptable to various cultures and tastes, but with the familiar structure of basic meat, poultry and related animal products.
In said patents, moreover, the importance of the proper use of a nutritional yeast added to the dry mixture of pulverized dehydrated vital wheat gluten powder admixed with whole grain wheat flour is described, with the limitation that this additive must be used prior to subsequent hydration of the fiber strands created by the particularizing and shredding of the hydrated mixture before being subjected to hot moisturizing cooking. The cooking is continued to the stage of gluten fiber denaturization (normally about 20 minutes) before the final cooling by evaporation into the final product form.
The purpose of the nutritional yeast was to generate a leavening generation of gas bubbles for creating expansion during the hydration step, and for some aeration-texturing which was discovered to result in the leavening of the product.
It is also disclosed that a desirable flavor permeation results in the use of the nutritional yeast. Additional flavors and spices that are desired in the product are described as also addable, but without any specifics as to when and where these flavors are introduced in the manufacturing process. In fact, highly acceptable products have been produced at all stages; in the dry mix, in the moisturizing and denaturing bath, topically on the finished product, and otherwise.
Copious taste-testing of various forms of this product ranging from product resembling ground beef to simulated chicken slices, meat loaf, burgers and the like, and also simulated ham slices, have indicated, in some cases, that some products have a residual post-consumption remaining aftertaste in the mouth, somewhat slightly bitter. Such aftertaste has been found sometimes to occur even though a xe2x80x9cburgerxe2x80x9d has been consumed with condiments, buns, cheese, etc. Many do not object to the aftertaste but it has been found that there are some apparently more sensitive individuals who would prefer more exacting residual flavor sensations.
This invention is directed to the discovery of how to avoid substantially all aftertaste sensation irrespective of what flavors or spices are used and irrespective of whether the product is in ground of cohesive or other form.
Indeed, the discovery of the critical location, timing and application of flavor and spice or the like, all hereinafter sometimes generically referred to as flavorings and flavors, has been found to be generically applicable across-the-board for all different types of these products and for all known flavorings.
The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved method of flavoring products of this nature that shall not be subject to the above-described limitations, but that admirably inherently eliminates all semblance of wheat gluten aftertaste.
A further object is to provide a novel flavored product of this type wherein the flavor distribution is more uniform throughout the product, accentuating the taste and desired flavor and, upon the consuming of the product, leaving the user only with the desired taste and sensation of the intended flavors.
Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and are more particularly delineated in the appended claims.
In summary, the invention embraces a method of flavoring heat-denatured wheat gluten fiber products that results in uniform flavoring throughout the product and without characteristic gluten aftertaste in the consuming of the product, that comprises, denaturing the wheat gluten product fibers by hydrating in a boiling both and, after removing from the bath, permitting the resulting moisture-swelled hot denatured fiber product to start to cool and shrink towards a final evaporation state; applying a solution or spray of flavoring to the surface of the swelled product at the time it has just cooled and evaporated to the degree of settling into substantially its final form, but before it has developed an exterior crust on the still-hot product; and thereafter permitting the total cooling and solidifying of the flavored product.
Preferred and best mode techniques and products are hereinafter detailed.